


The Power of Friendship

by asododsteel



Category: Worm - Wildbow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-23 01:36:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8308690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asododsteel/pseuds/asododsteel
Summary: Taylor gains the greatest power of all.





	

Lung looked upon his fallen foes, admiring his handiwork. The girl with the dogs had been troublesome. She and her monstrous hounds were relentless, latching onto him and impeding his movements with their sheer bulk. But ultimately, each attack had only served to make him stronger, and she and her dogs now lay motionless upon the ground. The boy in the white mask had tried to stop him, but as he grew in size and ferocity, the boy’s powers affected him less and less. He joined the dog girl on the pavement, blood soaking through his white costume. The girl with the purple eye had tried fruitlessly to find some weakness, but it seemed her power had told her only what everyone knew: That none can defeat Lung. Far most annoying however was the boy in the helmet. His darkness had blocked out both Lung’s sight and hearing. Lung took great pleasure in scorching him within an inch of his life. Now, as he held the boy’s limp body in his hand, he would savor the feeling of crushing the life out of him. That was when he heard it, a sound very familiar to him. The patter of running feet. Except this time it was different. The footsteps were getting louder, as if someone was running towards him, not away. He turned and saw a girl in a black costume approaching. She was tall and lean, with long curly hair. She held a baseball bat. 

  
“Put him down!” she yelled, raising the bat.  
  
Lung was astounded. There had been many attempts on his life, but never one this feeble. He held a hand to his massive stomach and let out a deep roaring laugh. The girl did not flinch. She stood firm, brandishing her bat like it was some great gleaming sword. It was so pathetic, Lung could actually feel himself shrinking back to normal; as if her very presence was decreasing the total danger of the area. As his laughter ceased, he looked her in the eye.  
  
“Run along, little girl. You need not die today.”  
  
“No.” she said, meeting his gaze.  
  
Lung bristled. He couldn’t remember the last time someone was brave or stupid enough to defy him like this. “Do not mistake my mercy for weakness. Go, or I shall kill you like the rest.”  
  
“I’m not leaving.” she took a step forward. “Not without them.”  
  
The shadow boy stirred. “R-run.” he choked out, “S-save yourself...”  
  
“No.” she said again, “I’ll never abandon a teammate!”  
  
Lung looked at her curiously. “Why would you throw away your life for these weaklings?”  
  
“Because they’re my friends!” And with that she charged. Lung caught the bat in his free hand, ripped it away effortlessly, and kicked her square in the chest. She went flying onto the ground.  
  
“Worthless.” he spat, before turning his attention back to the helmeted boy in his hand.  
  
“Stop!” Lung looked back, and there was the girl, struggling to get up. “I won’t let you hurt him!”  
  
Lung snorted and chucked the bat at her. It hit her right in the forehead. Still, she didn’t give up. He watched as, blood streaming down her face, she struggled to her feet.  
  
“Give up.” he commanded, “A weakling like you has no hope of defeating me.”  
  
“You’re wrong!” she shouted back. “So long as I have my friends beside me, there’s always hope. I may be weak by myself, but together we’re unbeatable!”  
  
Lung stared at her. He wasn’t laughing. He tossed the boy aside and stalked up to the girl, towering over her.   
  
“How can you claim to be unbeatable, when your allies lay strewn about my feet? You are alone.”  
  
“She’s not alone!” came a voice. Looking up, Lung saw the dog girl leaning on one of her mongrels. “She has me and I have her. We depend on each other. That’s what friends do.”  
  
Lung felt his rage growing. His rage, but not his body. “Together or apart, none of you have the strength to defeat me.”  
  
“That’s where you’re wrong.” came another voice. It was the boy in white, trying to lift himself up on a broken arm. “We have the greatest strength of all. The strength of our bonds.”  
  
“That’s right!” called out the purple eye girl. “The trust we have in each other is greater than any force, even you.”  
  
Lung was disgusted. He had never heard such idealistic foolishness. “Be quiet!” he roared, lashing out with his scaly arm. The girl in front of him was sent sprawling back, but she got up just like before.  
  
“Why?” he bellowed, “Why do you persist?”   
  
“Because I have people who are precious to me.” answered the girl, “People who I have to protect, no matter what.”  
  
Lung paused. There was something familiar about her words, but he wasn’t quite sure what. He shook his head. “You’re words are just that, words. They won’t save you. They won’t protect you from me.” He reached down and held up the beaten girl by her neck.   
  
Even as she struggled to breath, she choked out: “I-I don’t need words to protect me. I have my friends...”  
  
Her words made Lung sick. In fact, they made him downright nauseous. The world began to sway. As he reached out to steady himself, he noticed some strange darts sticking out of his arm. How long had those been there? Reaching back, he felt dozens of similar darts on his neck and back. With a mighty lurch, he let go of the girl and fell to the ground. Vision foggy, he just made out a black blur swooping down beside the girl.  
  
“Are you okay?” it asked.  
  
“I’ll be fine.” replied the girl, “Thanks Shadow Stalker.”  
  
Lung tried to move, but his limbs were too heavy. As the girl and the hero stood above him, he realized he had lost.  
  
“How...” he moaned, “How could I have been defeated? I, Lung, the strongest cape in the city!”  
  
“Because strength isn’t measured in brute force or firepower.” said Shadow Stalker. “It’s measured in the people who stand by you. True strength doesn’t come from powers, but from protecting those dear to you. You have no loved ones, and no one loves you. That is why you lost.”  
  
“But it doesn’t have to be that way.” said the girl. “You don’t have to be alone.” She held out her hand.  
  
Lung remembered what it was like to have friends, before Leviathan, before the woman in black. Memories flooded back, and he felt a single tear come to his eye. Struggling with all his might, fighting back the effects of the darts, he reached out and took her hand.  
  
  
  
Taylor sat in her bedroom, ruminating over her victory. Grue’s death was unfortunate, but gaining Lung more than made up for it. And with Shadow Stalker, she had an avenue to befriend the rest of the Wards, and then the rest of the Brockton Bay Protectorate, and after that, maybe even the Triumvirate themselves. There was a knock on the door. Emma came in, carrying a metal tray.  
  
“Hi Taylor,” she said, “I made some cookies. Would you like to try one?”  
  
Taylor took a bite. “They’re delicious.” she smiled.  
  
Emma blushed and backed out of the room, muttering thanks.  
  
Alone, Taylor stared out the window. They had taken everything from her. Left her alone and afraid. But now she had the greatest power of all, and she wouldn’t stop until the whole world was her friend.


End file.
